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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28348614">Day 360</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard'>Josh_the_Bard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [360]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:35:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28348614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [360]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 360</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Veri woke early in the morning nervous about her day. She had been working as Gabriel’s apprentice for only about a month, she still had so much to learn but today she would be expected to help Gabriel run his first class. They had been adding more children to the orphanage these past few weeks and they were as packed as they could manage. Veri’s friend Ferrer had been among the first and they had both eaten well since- the kitchens were the first thing up and running.</p><p>Veri went to the kitchens first thing to collect Master Gabriel’s breakfast as well as a pail of hot water. She brought everything to her master’s quarters and lit the incense to wake him. Master Gabriel’s hearing was not what it used to be and shouting was seldom sufficient to rouse him. When the scented smoke reached Gabriel’s nose the ancient human snuffled and opened his eyes.</p><p>“Eh,” he groaned. “Thomas?”</p><p>“Veri, Master Gabriel,” Veri said patiently. “Of the Kirkwall orphanage.”</p><p>Master Gabriel opened his eyes and looked around, taking a few moments to remind himself of where he was. When he looked sufficiently oriented. Veri placed the pail of hot water next to his bed for him to put his feet into and then dipped a cloth into the water to massage Master Gabriel’s joints into working. Warming his hands took the longest, but when it was done he was finally ready to heat his breakfast.</p><p>The hot water had warmed his joints to the point where Master Gabriel could walk about with only his cane for assistance.</p><p>“Are  we starting with the student’s today?” he asked as he paced about his room.</p><p>“Indeed we are, Master Gabriel,” Veri replied. “After they all finish with their breakfast the’ll go to the workroom.”</p><p>Not all of them of course. They could only fit twenty pottery wheels in the workplace so the classes would go in shifts. Ferrer and a few other of the children judged to be ‘most responsible’ would be in there for day one. Veri had spent hours after Master Gabriel went to sleep last night setting everything up. Everyone had all the tools they would need already at their station and a good supply of clay and water to work with.</p><p>They ascended to the interior balcony overlooking the workstation. All the students were in the room already but only about half of them were at their stations, the others were exploring the space or wrestling with each other and causing mischief. Veri rolled her eyes at them, the Champion was offering them food and a place to sleep, the least they could do was take their responsibilities seriously.</p><p>Lisa-Marie, the orphanage's head guard, was trying to wrangle everyone into their stations but as soon as she turned her back they would escape again. Master Gabriel observed the chaos for a long while without comment. When he finally spoke, it was in a loud, booming voice that cut through the chatter. Veri had never heard him speak like that before and nearly jumped out of her skin.</p><p>“Silence,” he said. Even the most antsy child in the room stopped dead in their tracks at that. “I have been brought here to track you the craft of pottery. This is one of the most useful skills one can learn in this world. Clay can store your food, carry your water and decorate your mantle. You will give your work to farmers and princes and you will do so with the very best you have to offer.”</p><p>Master Gabriel started by teaching them to hadel the clay. Veri was expecting him to try to wrangle them into making something simple like a plate or a simple cup but what he gave them was even less structured than that. He said that every child needed to present him with something by the end of the class, but it could be anything. A tree, a snake, a smiley face, as long as the clay was a proper consistency for molding. Everyone had fun with their world. They made all kinds of art, each one unique but everyone managed to keep their clay moist.</p><p>“Begin with a bit of fun,” Master Gabriel whispered. “And they'll want to learn. A group like there is much easier to contrite once they’re invested.”</p><p>“That’s not how you taught me,” Veri complained. Master Gabriel laughed at that. </p><p>“Of yours not,” he said. “You’re not a silly child. You already wanted to learn.”</p><p>Veri sulked to herself as they watched the others work. She maybe didn’t need fun to motivate her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want it sometimes. She had always been the responsible one, the one to make sure the others were fed and sheltered. That was probably why Greta had chosen her for this position. She was grateful, this was a secure position, but she also wanted the opportunity to get to live the childhood that had been out of reach for so long.</p>
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